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by George A. Retan, Ph.D.
Pictures Collected by Chester P. Bailey
Published by The Council of Mansfield Borough 1956
Copyright Mansfield Advertiser 1957
Reprinted on Tri-Counties Site by permission of Chester P. Bailey,
former owner of Mansfield Advertiser
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- In 1907, after considerable discussion, the School Board appropriated
$200.00 toward a free public library, providing $400.00 should be raised
in the Borough for the same purpose. The conditions were met and the first
books were purchased in December, partly from a second hand book store
in Philadelphia by Rev. David Crockett. The Library opened in the old Henry
Allen Offices, 32 North Main Street, with Miss Stella Allen (Mrs. Fred
Ely) in charge on February 7, 1902. It was managed by a board of directors,
part of whom represented the School Board and part the citizens. Mattie
Bodine was librarian 1903-08.
- The Borough Water System
- The Post Office:
In 1908 it was moved to the second floor of the Allen Block (northeast corner) over Strait’s Hardware. Miss Mary Shepard was librarian until 1923, H. J. Van Norman to 1928, and Karl Van Norman to 1956. In 1911, on April 5th, as a result of efforts by J. A. Elliott and others, the Andrew Carnegie Library Fund made a grant of $5,000.00 for a building on condition that the Library Association raise $700.00 for a lot, grading, etc. In a very short time nearly $1,000.00 was raised and the Borough Council appropriated $500.00. The corner stone was laid October 24, 1911.
For many years the Library was supported by the school board, the council and gifts, but there was never enough money available to keep up the property and buy new books. In 1936 an election was held on the question of laying a one mill tax on property in the Borough for library purposes. The vote was favorable and since that time it has been possible to maintain the property in better shape, but there has never been as much money as was needed in spite of many generous gifts by individuals.
Miss Helen Wood is now the librarian.
After the bad fires of the eighties, there was much agitation concerning a water supply. The council had surveys made; committees visited nearby communities; various watersheds were considered, and financing was discussed. It was finally decided that the Borough could not finance the installation of a water system as the estimated cost of $45,000.00 was too great in proportion to the estimated assessment of the municipality. It was, therefore, decided to accept the offer of the Watres family of Scranton and May 8, 1893, a franchise was granted them, based on the use of the Lambs Creek drainage basin. During the nineties much fault was found with the quality of the water furnished. At times, little was available. It was claimed by some that the source was contaminated and samples sent away for analysis were pronounced impure. A suit was begun to secure better service but was settled for fifty dollars after citizens presented a petition stating they were satisfied with the water.
Again in 1908-09 there was agitation against the water company and the
Council had the system appraised with the idea of acquiring it. It was
valued at over $40,000 and nothing was done. Again in 1923 there was a
fight over increased water rates and the Council appropriated $75.00 for
legal expenses connected with the fight. But it was not until 1942 that
definite steps were taken to get control. Since the Borough could not finance
the purchase, a Municipal Authority was formed which could legally issue
bonds with which to make the purchase. The transfer was affected in 1943,
and since then the Authority has retired purchase bonds more rapidly than
was anticipated in spite of increased expenses for repairs and improvements.
The Authority owns 1,000 acres of watershed, a large portion of which has
been reforested.
| C. V. Elliott | 1861-1873, at about 11 N. Main Street |
| Vine Pratt | 1873-1877, at about 15 N. Main Street |
| M. L. Clark | 1877-1886, same location |
| N. A. Elliott | 1886-1890, moved to 4 S. Main Street in 1887 |
| J. A. Elliott | 1890-1894, and 1898-1903 |
| J. L. Cummings | 1894-1898 |
| T. H. Bailey | 1903-1915 |
| Robert Urell | 1915-1923 |
| Elmer Cornwell | 1923-1936 |
| Francis Kelley | 1936 - |
4. Theaters
Union Hall, the third floor of the Bank Block, was used as an entertainment center until the Opera House was built in 1888-89. Many road shows came to the Opera House during the winter season. Later, Howe’s Moving Pictures were first shown in Mansfield in this building. The Opera House was often used for dances and other social functions. It burned in 1913.
In 1907 the Theatorium was built and operated by Ed Saks and Chas. Miller. This building was located on Hoard Alley, back of the brick building on the corner. This was purchased by K. F. Van Norman who operated it in 1911-1916 when it burned.
In 1916 the Star Theater, now the Twain, was built by W. A. McCausland and E. G. Cornwell. It was managed by Mr. Van Norman until 1933 it was renovated and opened by Harry A. Taylor and Henry Swain. In 1940 Harry Taylor became the sole owner and since his death in 1950 his son William Taylor has managed it. The first talking pictures in the Mansfield were shown here in 1929.
5. Mansfield Hotels
The earliest hotel in the Borough of which we have record was the one run by Phelps, which was mentioned earlier. It was south of Corey Creek, and is probably the Johnson Apartments at the present time. At one time Phelps was accused of allowing gambling here. It also housed the Post Office in the fifties.
The Fuller House, mentioned in 1856, formerly a private house, was probably the beginning of the present Mansfield Hotel. It has been known under various names. It was the Commercial House in 1887-1896. It was then sold to Mark French who remodeled it and ran it until about 1917. In 1918 it was the Hotel Taylor; later the Hotel Smith; in 1933 it was bought by C. B. Richardson; in 1934 by Mrs. Cheeseman; in 1935 by H. T. Flook; in 1939 by Mark Palmer and renamed the Marlyn. In 1945 Palmer sold to James Mailtlain and in 1949 it passed into the possession of King Rose and his wife who have owned it since except for a very short time in 1950-51. In the later 20’s a fire damaged the building badly, but it was completely restored.
In 1873 there was in operation the Hotel Brundage, but how much earlier is not clear. This was 18 S. Main Street. This building, bought by Mrs. G. N. Welch in 1903, has been run as a hotel or restaurant to the present time. Charles Campbell had it in 1906, Bert Cheeseman in 1925, Theoharus in 1937, Ernest Boyce in 1945 and Ernest Vosburg since 1946.
When the Soldiers Orphan School was removed from Mansfield in 1889, Mrs. F. A. Allen opened it as a hotel. This stood on the northwest corner of Main and Wellsboro Streets. In 1892 Mark French took it over and ran it until he went to the Mansfield Hotel in 1896 and sold it to T. H. Bailey who was running it when it burned in 1904.
About 1881 a hotel was opened in a brick building at the south corner of Central Street and Railroad Street. This was later known as the Grand Central Hotel and was, for a time, considered the best hotel in the County. Some very fine banquets and parties were held there, not always meeting with the approval of some of the citizens not present. It burned in 1889, some guests barely escaping with their lives.
No. 8 East Wellsboro Street was run as a hotel for 1900 to 1911.
This institution was founded in 1867 by Fordyce A. Allen, later Principal of the Normal School, and very prominent in educational circles in the state. It was started in a building on the northwest corner of Main and Wellsboro Streets. Later it expanded and 28 W. Wellsboro Street was erected, and a third story was built on the Allen Block. After Mr. Allen’s death in 1880, it was carried on by Mrs. Allen and Vine R. Pratt until it was closed by the State in 1889. This school supported baseball teams and bands and the students were active in community affairs. The annual reunions of the graduates in recent years have brought back many men and women to attest the fine training they received at this school. A monument to Mr. Allen, erected by funds raised by his former students, now stands at the northwest corner of Main and Wellsboro Streets.
7. Mansfield Oldest Business Places
Not all the facts and dates given here are guaranteed to be accurate. All that can be claimed is that every effort has been made to have them as correct as possible. Sometimes the recollections of older citizens do not agree with facts found in the papers of the time. One trouble is that in writing of places of business the papers never give the street numbers and generally no idea of the location of a business. This is also true of the advertisements, which furnished a good deal of the material. But the greatest difficulty was the absence of papers in the period 1912-29.
While many businesses have been started and continued for a time, too many to note in this short history, there are many which, under different proprietors or in different locations, have established themselves as more or less fixtures of the community. Some are no longer in existence, but were important for a long time.
The oldest business of the same kind is the Harness Shop of Ernest Jupenlaz at 8 North Main Street. This business was started about 1848 by William Hollands on S. Main Street opposite the Hotel. It was later moved to S. Main Street, south of the Pitts Block and was burned out in 1883. In 1885 Hollands moved to the present location. He sold to Jaynes in 1886 and 1901 Jaynes sold to Fred Jupenlaz. Hollands was very prominent in the early days of the Borough.
It is claimed that the oldest business in the same family is the Decker Dray and Ice business. This business dates back probably to the seventies under the father of the recent owner, Dana Decker. Most of that time it has been at the present location, John Marvin bought it in 1956.
Dr. C. V. Elliott, another very prominent citizen in the early history, had a brick store at 11 N. Main Street as early as in the sixties (before 1866). It is the oldest brick store in town. He sold out to J. Malby Smith in 1891, who, in turn, sold to J. P. Bates in 1897. The building was partly burned in 1901 and immediately rebuilt. Bates sold to Harold Terry in 1931.
R. E. Olney had a jewelry store at 16 E. Wellsboro Street as early as 1867. He built the brick block in 1873 and in 1900, after his death, it was sold to Edward Saks who continued it until 1913. Until 1922 it was occupied by Dan Souders, an optometrist. After that it was a store run by the Smiths who had bought the building, and in 1926 Cunningham started a beauty parlor here with Ella Mae Morse as operator. She bought the business in 1927. (Now Mrs. Jennings.)
Another drug store with a continuous history, but not location, is the Coles Drug Store at 2 South Main Street. In the seventies Ridgway and Cole had a drug store at approximately 17 N. Main Street. In 1874 they moved to the, at that time, new Bank Block, 6 E. Wellsboro Street, and continued in business until 1890 when they sold to Stevenson and Burnham, and in 1892 Burnham became sole owner. In 1902, at his death it was sold to Whitman, who sold to Passmore in 1905. In 1909 Percy Coles bought the business and in 1924 moved to S. Main Street.
As early as 1864, possibly earlier, O. V. Elliott had a shoe store at 54 N. Main Street and built a brick home there in 1881. He moved to the Allen Block, then to 10 N. Main Street where he and his son, Frank K., continued until 1924, when it was moved to 6 E. Wellsboro Street. Frank died in 1925 and the business was continued until about 1928 by John E. Farrer.
One of the oldest businesses is the present T. W. Judge Co. In 1865 D. H. Pitts had a store in the neighborhood of the present 15 N. main Street. He later moved to a store located on S. Main Street just south of the present store. This store burned and in 1873 Pitts Bros. (Dan H. and Aaron) built the brick block at the southwest corner of Main and West Wellsboro Streets. D. H. bought out his brother, and later it was Pitts and J. M. Clark, 1883; then 1896 Pitts, Ed Ross and Tom Judge; in 1905, Pitts and Judge; and in 1908 The T. W. Judge Company. After the death of T. W. Judge in 1910 it was carried on by his son, Wade, until 1943 when, after his death, it was purchased by Herbert Peterson, who had been associated with him in the business. In 1884 the south addition to the block was built. In 1923, the smaller one story addition was built containing a grocery department, closed out in 1939. In 1931 the second story was remodeled and in 1955 new fronts were built to the center store and the old grocery store remodeled for a bakery.
From some time in the sixties N. Kingsley had a shoe store on N. Main Street. It was burned in the fire of 1882 and the brick store at 21 N. Main Street was built to replace it. In 1885 his son, Homer, was in business with him and carried it on until 1912 when Homer died. It was sold to William Neal and in 1947 to Harry Fish.
In 1856 A. J. Ross was a merchant in Mansfield and Philip Williams became associated with him. The Bank Block was build in 1871, the first of the large corner blocks. The Bank was started in 1872. Charles Ross, the son of A. J. continued in the bank with Williams after the death of his father. Williams died in 1894 and Charles Ross continued alone until in 1907, the Bank was reorganized as a National Bank and bought the building for $15,000.00. In 1904 the building was remodeled, putting on a stone first story. In 1931 the bank again reorganized, with Mr. Ross retiring, and in 1954, just fifty years after the first remodeling, the building was again remodeled continuing the stone down the south front and modernizing the interior.
In 1873 Robert Crossley, an immigrant from England, who had been a gardener for Dr. Morris, took over the greenhouses started by Mrs. S. B. Elliott and enlarged them. They were again enlarged in 1900 and in 1902. The business was continued by Robert’s son William, and by William’s son Robert, until 1947 when it was old to Elwyn Kuhl.
A hardware business was going in 1873 at about 15 N. North Wellsboro Street, under the name of Lutz and Kohler. This continued under various firm names until 1887 with Kohler always one partner. In 1902 it became John and Will Farrer; in 1903, Wells Shaw and Farrer; and in 1905, W. S. Farrer. In 1922 it became Farrer and Taylor and later Harry Taylor. In 1945, it was bought by Welch Cleveland. The building in use was built in 1885-86 after the old building burned.
Another hardware business is that of Harold Strait at 2 N. Main Street. In 1876 C. E. Allen had a hardware business in town. In 1878, after the completion of the Allen Block it moved into it present location as F. A. Allen and Company. The building was, a first, a two-story building, and the third story was added for the Soldiers Orphan School. The business became successively, Allen and Pratt in 1880, T. V. Moore and Company in 1882, Lloyd and App in 1889, George L. Strait in 1891, Strait and Wood, Srait and Retan, and George L. Strait and Sons in 1910, the present firm name under Harold Strait as manager.
Hoard’s Insurance Agency was started in 1872 by J. S. Hoard. In 1919 it became J. S. hoard and Son and in 1925 on the death of Mr. Hoard it was run by Donald Hoard. It was sold to e. B. Strait about 1928 and in 1930 Charles Ross bought a share and ran it alone after the death of Mr. Strait in 1934. On the death of Mr. Ross, 1949, it was sold to Mrs. May Lent, and then to John Myers in 1950.
Terrance Smyth had a grist mill on the west side of the river as early as 1850. In 1857 he sold this to Clark Bailey, who with his two sons, Tom H. and J. W., continued to 1890, build a large mill, installing the new process to use winter wheat, making a good grade of flour and known as the Sun Milling Company. It was continued into the twenties before it was closed, and was burned in 1934.
Spencer had a photograph gallery near the corner of N. Academy and E. Elmira Streets, probably as early as the sixties. In 1884, when the Welch block was built at the corner of N. Main and Center Streets, there was a photograph gallery on the second floor on the Center Street side. This was run by McFarland until 1901, when it was bought by McClusky and then sold to B. M. Vedder in 1901 and discontinued about 1920. W. A. Bates also had a photograph gallery in his home at the corner of Sherwood and N. Main Streets during the twenties.
Capt. Ezra Davis had a tannery north of Corey Creek on N. Main Street from about 1840 to 1865. In 1865 R. R. Kingsley bought a partnership, and in 1868 the business. It was enlarged in 1873 and was continued by R. R. and his son Charles S. until 1893, Charles S. owned the business until it was discontinued in 1910 or 11.
William Adams had a general store in the seventies at about 24 N. Main Street, with an office building north of it. This building was later, 1889, enlarged, removing the office and forming the Adams Block. This business was sold in 1876 to O. V. Elliott and Sons. In 1878 they moved to 10 N. Main Street. Erlich had a business there until 1880 when it was taken over by S. J. Shepard who continued it until 1922. The Atlantic and Pacific Grocery was in the building until 1935. From that year it has been occupied by the Tri-County Rural Electrification. Dr. Williamson’s Dental office was in this building.
In the seventies, perhaps in the late sixties, Allan Peterson, a colored man had a barber ship in town. When the Pitts Block was built he had a shop in the basement on the Wellsboro Street side. Later he moved to 14 S. main Street which has been a barber shop, except for a short time, ever since. In 1913 E. V. McConnell was working for him. After returning from World War I in 1920, McConnell started his own shop at 13 W. Wellsboro Street. This building had also been a Barber Shop for many years with Mead Dann as proprietor.
The Mansfield Advertiser was established in 1873 and published in the Bank Block, later upstairs at about 15 N. Main Street. It was later moved into the Fred Allen Block at 12 N. Main Street until, in 1940, it moved to its on newly erected building at 47 N. Academy Street. Present publishers are E. S. Cole and C. P. Bailey.
There were grocery stores at the corner of N. Main and Central Streets from the earliest days. Asa Mann may have had one here in 1832. At that time G. N. Welch who had had a store on S. Main Street, built the brick block with two store fronts on each street. In 1896 he sold to R. W. and M. F. Rose. They ran a general store here until 1829 when they sold to Prestons, Inc. who still run it.
The New Era Mills were built by the Sherwoods as a grist mill and clothes pin factory. The building was sold, in 1888, to B. V. Strait. In 1893 Strait took in Charles Kingsley as a partner, and in 1897 Kingsley bought the business. He ran it with his son Ralph, and later Ralph alone, until 1933. It was then sold to Harry and Herbert Kohler, with Dean and Lee as managers.
In 1882 L. Cummings built a small wooden store at 45 E. Wellsboro Street. It was purchased by W. C. Miller in 1911. This building has been a bakery until 1955, but the bakers have changed frequently. The names associated with it for longer periods are: Cummings, Jupenlaz, Littley, and J. B. Loveland. This building is now an office.
In 1884, A. B. Welch built a laundry at 111 E. Elmira Street. It was bought by Wilson and Ramsdall in 1895 and in 1899 by Frank Clark. He enlarged it considerably in 1906. In 1911 it partially burned but was rebuilt. Mr. Clark was badly burned in that fire and never fully recovered. In 1939 it was taken over by Clifford Clark and from 1942-44 the last proprietor was Kastner.
In the seventies, A. R. Decker had a sash and blind factory across from the Railroad Station. This was bought in 1880 by Ed Doane and continued until 1919 when it became part of the Novelty Plant. In this factory in 1906-07 was built a boat 44 feet by 10 feet which was launched at Newburg, N.Y., and made a trip to Australia. This building burned in the 1947 fire.
In 1892 a Novelty Works was moved here from Monroeton, Pa., and located in a new building about where the North Penn Power Plant now is. Some of the workers also moved here. In 1900 it was purchased by Pitts and Ross with L. W. Obourn as superintendent. In 1923 O. L. Schanbacher and Obourn bought it and moved the machinery to the old Doane factory. In 1925 on the death of Mr. Obourn, Mr. Schanbacher took over the plant. Both before and after the fire of 1947 the plant was enlarged by several concrete buildings. At one time this plant was the largest manufacturer of children’s tops in the country and shipped many carloads abroad.
15 N. Main Street was the site of the post office in the seventies under M. L. Clark, in connection with a notions store. J. D. Catlin bought this business in 1901 and ran it until 1911, as a combination notions and grocery. It was continued as a grocery by Kelley and Baynes, and later by Kelley and Obourn until 1927. At that time Mrs. Harry Finesilver started a woman’s furnishings store here and continued it until 1955 when she moved to the new modern store next door, No. 17 N. Main. The No. 15 building was razed and a modern brick store erected which was occupied by the Western Auto Store.
17 N. Main Street housed the post office, with Vine Pratt as postmaster in the early seventies. This was afterwards used as a restaurant. This was torn down and a larger wooden building erected. George Clark, whose father had had a wagon and carriage store on W. Wellsboro Street in the old Orphan School building, and who had had a store on the corner of E. Wellsboro and St. James Streets, moved here in 1899. In 1911 he sold to Mr. Klesa and he later sold to Manley Benson. In 1923 Harry Finesilver started a Men’s Furnishing Store here and continued it until his death in 1930. The building housed a Ford Agency here in 1931. Biddle’s Clothing Store, 1934-36, and Markson’s Clothing Store, 1936-1955. In this year it was torn down and a fine new brick building erected for Mrs. Finesliver’s Store.
19 N. Main Street was the site of a grocery store owned by H. J. Ripley in 1870. This was burned in 1882 and Ripley sold the lot to Justus B. Clark who built a brick store in which he sold groceries in 1883. In 1892 he sold to Lewis H. Moody, who was an insurance agent. Around 1900 A. W. Kear started a five and dime store here. It has been a five and dime every since under several owners, among whom were McCausland, Lamphier, Percy Wilson, Peter Abrams from about 1928, and Hazel Witmore since 1941.
25 N. Main Street has been the site of a furniture store, or furniture and undertaking most of the time since it was built, following the fire of 1882. In 1880, Rolason bought the undertaking business of Beach and Clark, which had exited for many years, and located on S. Main Street. Rolason moved into this building in 1883 or 84, with Metcalf as a partner. Metcalf sold his interest to L. B. Shaw in 1837. In 1911 the firm dissolved and Shaw continued the undertaking, first in the Holden building on E. Wellsboro Street and later in the rear of the Grange Bank. The furniture store continued under Rolason, under Kear for a short time, and, in 1914 under Lynn Hall. L. B. Shaw was joined by his son Wilford in the undertaking business in 1925 and they returned to this building in 1927. In 1935 Wilford bought the business and continued it here until 1937 when he moved to the Funeral Home. The store was a Grand Union Grocery after 1939, then the Broderick Furniture Store in 1945, and in 1950 the Furniture Store of Raymond Van Noy.
In 1889 W. C. Miller bought the T. J. Rogers Marble Works, located on East Main Street and moved them to the present location at 41 East Wellsboro Street. Edward C. Russell has been the proprietor since 1919.
M. H. Shepard and Sears bought out, in 1889, the old Westbrook Clothing Store which had been in existence since some time in the eighties. For a time it was Shepard and Shipbanker, but Shepard became the sole owner in 1899. At this time the store was located in the Bank Block on S. Main Street. In 1905, Shepard and T. H. Bailey built the block at the northwest corner of N. Main and W. Wellsboro Streets, and the store has been there since that time. After the death of Mr. Shepard the store was bought by John Myers and Merle Garrison in 1938. In 1950 Mr. Garrison became the sole owner and it is known as Garrison’s Men’s Shop.
Michael Shipbanker, who worked as a tailor for Shepard, and for a time owned an interest in the store, started in business for himself in a wooden building at 9 N. Main Street in 1899. In 1905 he built the store at that number and continued in business until his death in 1929. For a couple of years there was a restaurant in the building, but from 1932 to 1956 it was occupied by the Baynes Shoe Company, now owned by the Bond Shoe Company.
8 E. Wellsboro Street, known as the Holden Building, has been a restaurant most of the time for at least three quarters of a century. It was known as the Hotel Wilcox for a time after 1909. Fred Spencer, Holden, Ray Pitts and A. H. Vosburg have been the men most prominently identified with the business. When not a restaurant it has been an undertaking business under L. B. Shaw and a Music Store under Alden Bowser.
Around 1892 Welt Smith had a shoe repair shop and store in a wooden building on the west side of S. Main Street across from the hotel. In 1903 Shepard and Miller built the brick store, 7 N. Main Street, and he moved to that building. This business was sold to Will Miller in 1916 and in 1932 it became the Baynes Shoe Company and moved to 9 N. Main . Leon Baynes was the manager of the business 1916-1956.
In 1907 a Grange National Bank was organized and located in the new Shepard and Bailey Block, 3 N. Main Street. The bank failed in 1917 and was absorbed by the First National Bank.
From 1908 until 1939 A. H. Vosburg had a restaurant and ice cream business in the Bank Block on S. Main Street. This was continued by Jay Bunn for a time, but the store was taken over to provide for the expansion of the bank.
Ray Owens had a music store in a wooden building about where 38 S. Main Street is. He moved to 17 N. Main Street in 1911. After the Hotel Allen burned in 1904, the rear end of the hotel, undamaged, was turned sideways and moved west to form what is now 17-19 W. Wellsboro Street. Howard and Grant Lewis had a furniture store here for a short time but Owens bought the building and moved his Music Store here where it continued until 1935. The building is, since then, occupied by the North Penn Power Company, but is known as the Owens Block.
Miss Nellie Rockwell had a Millinery business in Mansfield for over forty years. This was discontinued about 1944.
Miss Mary Crossley was also a milliner for thirty-five years, beginning in 1891, at 26 N. Main Street.
A Foundry, which was started by Paine and Wilson in 1878, then by Moore and Hanson in 1890, was owned by Moore and Tomlinson from 1892, and later by Floyd Tomlison at 13 E. Main Street, was enlarged by him in 1910 and sold to Anthony Billard in 1942. Billard also had a building in the park, but when this burned he moved part of his plant to Covington.
A Bottling Works was started in Mansfield by M. H. Shepard and A. H. Vosburg about 1917. George Myers worked for them for about three years and then purchased the plant at 22 Sherwood Street, and has continued the business to the present time.
J. D. Catlin, who had a grocery business at 15 N. Main Street form 1901, built a new store at 150 N. Main Street, in 1911 and continued in business there until he sold out to Brace in 1924, and in 1945 it was purchased by H. H. Burke.
In 1908 M. H. Shepard started a Woman’s Department over this clothing store with Miss Maybelle Wright in charge. In 1927 it was moved to 6 N. Main Street and in 1931 it was purchased by Miss Wright. She sold it to Mrs. Jennie Cox Hendricks in 1949, the present owner.
Will Avery had a Marble Works in the Borough from about 1904 or 05 until about 1928 or 29. It was located in the building on Central Street now occupied by Rieppel.
Around 1921 an Elmira Street Grocery was started at 90 E. Elmira Street. It was run at various times by Cripeen, Stella Dyer and Sons, and was taken over in 1932 by Eldred [should be Eldridge] Mudge. In 1939 it was sold to Leo Alis, but was repurchased in 1942 by Eldred and Cole Mudge and Irene Mudge and Ellery Beagle continued the business after the death of Eldred and in 1956 Ellery Beagle became the sole owner.
C. M. Thompson has been selling milk from the Morris Farms since 1916, except for a period during World War I. Earlier than that, from about 1900, when the farm was worked by Reuben Curtis, Curtis had a milk route. In 1913 before the Borough passed an ordinance forbidding the sale of unpasteurized milk, he put in the first plant in Mansfield. In 1849 he finished the modern plant and Dairy Bar at 103 W. Wellsboro Street.
George Dyer started an Electrical Contracting business in 1923 in a barn back of 64 E. Elmira Street. In 1942 he took over the old Laundry building, continuing the contracting business and also selling electrical appliances.
Cecil H. Garrison started selling insurance in town in 1923 and has continued until the present time.
In 1926 James Caracciolo worked in the shoe store of John Farrer. He moved to his own shop at 16 S. Main Street in 1927 and has been there since that time.
George L. Palmer started a Jewelry Store at 11 W. Wellsboro Street about 1903, later known as Palmer Brothers after his brother Robert joined him. In 1918, after the failure of the Grange Bank, they moved to 3 N. Main Street, where they remained until 1938 when they dissolved partnership. George Palmer continued, at this home, the Optometry business and repair work until his death in 1953. Robert Palmer had a Jewelry Store for a few years at 12 W. Wellsboro Street.
The Atlantic and Pacific Company originally had a small store in a wooden building south of the Bank Block. In 1922 they moved to 24 N. Main Street. In 1935 they moved to 7 N. Main Street and in 1950 to their present quarters at 25 S. Main Street.
In 1920 Chester Green started a Grocery on W. Wellsboro Street. He soon moved to the old Holden Building at E. Wellsboro Street. In 1926 he sold out to the Market Basket Corporation, but remained as manager until 1939 when the store was moved to 10 S. Main Street where the Judge grocery had been. This store closed in January, 1955.
In 1897 Fred Spencer bought the Grocery business of W. A. Pitts which was in the corner store of the Pitts-Judge Block. He sold to H. M. Griggs, who had been a partner in the business for some time, in 1901.
For some years Fred Duell had a Meat Market in the rear of this store. Griggs sold to L. N. Goodall in 1916. In 1923 T. W. Judge took over the store and moved it to the new addition on the south of the block in 1924.
From around 1927 W. A. McCausland had a Cut Rate Drug Store south of the Bank Block. He sold to Walter Swartwood in 1935 and he to Helen Wood in 1939. She moved the business to 10 E. Wellsboro Street in 1940 and sold to Daisy Harrington in 1946. This store was discontinued in 1951.
G. Ray Edgerton started a five and ten cent store at 3 N. Main Street in 1939. He sold out the same year to mark Sullivan and he to George Kelly in 1941. Peter Abrams bought it in 1942 but sold to the present owner, Mr. And Mrs. Ross Sours.
From about 1918 to 1934, 6 E. Wellsboro Street was a gift shop owned by Mrs. Larrison. In 1936 Max Squires started a Dairy Store here and sold it in 1943 to Mr. And Mrs. Vergil Sours.
Joseph Garside started the Toy Store at 32 N. Main Street in 1944.
The Red and White Grocery at 145 E. Main was started in 1936. It was enlarged in 1954 by Melvin Rauscher who owns it.
In 1937 Markson’s Clothing Store at Elmira opened a branch in a wooden building south of the Bank Block. In 1938 it was moved to 17 N. Main Street and in 1955 to the Pitts or Judge Block in the store vacated by the Post Office. This portion of the block was completely remodeled at this time
About 1932 W. L. Flinger had a Diner on the east side of S. Main Street. G. Ray Edgerton both the diner in 1933 and build a new one at 19 S. Main Street. This is the present Johnson’s Truck Lines office. In 1941 he build the present diner at 5 S. Main, now owned by Walter Kline, 1956.
In 1946 Roy Estep started a Jewelry Store at 28 N. Main Street, and moved in 1950 to his present location at 11 W. Wellsboro Street.
In 1893 Elliott and Allen had a business dealing in coal, wood, lime and cement. In 1896 they sold to Morgan E. Rose. This was located at 28 W. Wellsboro Street, part of the old Orphan School property. Charles McDowell was the manager of this business from 1897 on and bought it after the death of Mr. Rose. In 1945 the business was purchased by Wilbur Johns who moved it to the newly erected concrete building at 50 W. Wellsboro Street. Besanceney Brothers bought the business in 1953 and soon after discontinued it.
Warren Rose developed a milk shipping and cheese making business throughout the County in the early years of the century. He built the original milk shipping station where the Dairyman’s League Plant now is. In 1921 the League took over the plant and in 1952 tore down the old buildings and put up the present modern plant.
There was a Grand Union Grocery from about 1925 at 10 N. Main Street. It moved, in 1939, to 23 N. Main Street and opened as a Supermarket, but was discontinued in 1941.
In 1940 Melvin Goodrich started a dry cleaning business at 14 S. Main Street. In 1946-47 he build a concrete building at 97 E. Elmira Street and transferred his business to that location.
It has been difficult to trace the history of the News Rooms of the early days. Ray Longbothum had a news room and bicycle repair shop in a wooden building south of the Bank Block for some years. He sold his building to the Cigar Factory. John Stout also had the bicycle repair shop and newsroom in 1919. Later that was taken over by Smith, at least as far as the news room was concerned. He sold to Philip Farrer in 1926 and he to Earl Cruttenden in 1941. This News Room was at 12 S. Main Street as it still is. In 1956 it was purchased by Dean Davey.
In 1949 W. C. Barnes started an Insurance Office at 28 W. Wellsboro Street.
George and Mrs. Porter and their little candy shop located about where the A & P Store now is, [corner S. Main and College Ave.] will be remembered by those who were in Mansfield in the 90’s and early 1900’s.